MLB "began briefing its 30 teams this week on its new pace-of-game rules, and clubs are learning that the ramifications will have an impact in a variety of areas," according to Jayson Stark of ESPN.com. Blue Jays Senior VP/Baseball Operations & GM Alex Anthopoulos after his team's meeting with league officials said, "I thought they did a great job of presenting it." He and members of the Blue Jays' front office and coaching staff "were briefed" yesterday by MLB Senior VP/Baseball Operations Peter Woodfork and MLB Dir of Umpire Development Rich Rieker. MLB Chief Baseball Officer Joe Torre also was originally "scheduled to be part of the session" but could not attend. Teams have been told that timers in ballparks used to count down between-inning commercial breaks "will also be used during pitching changes in the same way." As with between-inning breaks, relievers "are supposed to throw their final warm-up pitch with 30 seconds left on the clock." Players are subject to fines up to $500 per violation when they violate one of the new rules by "not being ready to pitch or hit when the clock counts down or when a hitter leaves the batter's box between pitches." Umpires are "expected to have some leeway" with habitual violators, particularly of the batter's box rule. Although this year there will not be a pitch clock in MLB, the league "will be supplying information to all clubs about how long each pitcher takes between pitches." MLB will not "meet with players directly to brief them on how the new rules will be implemented." That will be "left up to the players' union, which also is in the process of meeting with all 30 clubs, and individual teams" (ESPN.com, 2/24).
